Car-brake



(No Model.)

' M. BODEPELD.

OAR BRAKE. No. 421,231. Patented Feb ll, 1890.

N i i- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MEINOLPH BODEFELD, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,231, dated February 11, 1890.

Application filed December 10, 1889. Serial No 333,191. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MEINOLPH BODEFELD,

acitizen of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri,

. be brought to bear on the brake-shoes with the expenditure of but little physical exertion on the part of the operator.

A further object is to so construct the brake that the amount of frictional resistance offered by the brake-shoes maybe regulated.

With these objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features of constructionand arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

' In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a car-truck having my improved brake mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is-a detail view of the links 9 and in.-

tel-posed rubber block. Fig. 3'is a view of a modification- Arepresents the-wheels of av car-truck havyokes B.

ing their axles A' connected by means of axle-boxes and made to embrace the wheels A. Each frameO comprises two bars a above 7 the axle and two bars 1) below the same, these wheels A are brake-shoes 2.

bars being connected together by means of brackets c.

Suspended by means of links 1 from the bars a of frame 0 and in proximity to the Two shafts 8 (one for each pair of brake-shoes 2) are journaled on the upper bars of the frame 0, and extend from one frame 0 to the other. A bellcrank lever at is secured to each end of each shaft 3, and to one arm 5 of the bell-crank levers rods 6 are pivoted.

Pivoted to the lower end of each rod (3 are A frame 0, of wood or other suitable material, is supported by the axles or.

. contact with the rails of the track.

two rods 7 and S, projecting from the rods 6 in opposite directions, this connection of the .rods 7 and 8 with the rods 6 producing, in effect, toggle-joints. The free ends of the levers 7 are pivotally connected with the lower ends of the brake-shoes, while the free ends of the rods 8 are pivotally connected with some stationary part of the truck-frame by means of pivoted links 9. The links 9 are connected by means of a bolt 9, which passes loosely through them, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and supported upon this bolt is a block of elastic material 13; or, if desired, springs may be employed instead of the elastic material. The arms 10 of the bell-crank levers are pivotally connected by means of connecting-rods 11, and these latter rods are connected together by means of a rod 12.

Secured to each lever 7 and 8 are a series of two or more brake-shoes 1et,havingcurved faces 15, adapted to engage the track when the device is operated.

A rod 16 is pivotally connected at one end with one end of the connectingn'od 12 and at the other end to a hand-lever pivoted to the car.

Springs 20, of any preferred construction, are connected to the truck in any approved manner.

, The truck is connected to the car at its cen ter by means of a heavy bolt 21, or in any pivots and the vertical rods 6 made to de scend. .W'hen the vertical rods descend, the inner ends of the horizontal levers 7 and 8 will be lowered and the shoes brought into At the same operation the levers 7 will move out wardly and cause the brake slloes 2 to make contact with the wheels, and the horizontal levers 8 will be moved inwardly and vmade to bear against the springs or rubberblocks 13. The combined length of the rods ;7 and 8 be ing greater than the distance between the springs or elastic blocks 13 and the brakeshoes 2,it will be seen that when the vertical rods 6 are lowered the horizontal levers 7 and 8 will operate as above described, and great pressure can be exerted upon the brakeshoes.

In some cases it may be found desirable to regulate or vary the amount of frictional resistance to be exerted by the brake-shoes; or, in other words, it may be desired to apply the brakes with greater force at some times than at other times. To accomplish this result, the rods or levers are so arranged relatively to eachother and provided with springs in such a manner that with a certain amount of pressure on the hand-lever thebrake-shoes' 2 will be made to engage the wheels, and with additional pressure on the hand-lever the shoes 14: will be made to engage the rails of the-track. A series of sleeves 22 is located on the truck-frame and made to surround the vertical rods 6. The sleeves 22 are each made with a lower part 22 and an upper part 22 the upper part 22 being smaller than the lower part 22 and adapted to move in said lower part. A spring 24 is coiled about the part 22 of the sleeve, bearing at one end on the part 22 and at the other end against a flange 22 on part 22, and a stronger spring 24 is coiled about the part 22 of the sleeve, the last-mentioned springbearing against the bottom bar I) of the truck-frame and at the other end against a pin 23, projecting from the vertical rod 6. The part 22 of the sleeve is slotted for the accommodation of the pin 23, which projects from the vertical rod 6. Thus when the device is operated and the springs 24 shall have been compressed, the brake-shoes 2 will be applied to the wheels, and when the handle is further operated and the springs 2st compressed the brake-shoes 14 will be brought in contact with the track; and, further, by providing the springs 2t 24: when the hand operating-lever is released the springs 24 24 will return the vertical levers to their normal positions, and thus release the brakes.

It isevident that my improved brake may be operated by means of compressed air as well as manually. WVhether the device be operated by hand or by compressed air, it will require a certain amount of pressure to overcome the resistance of springs 2st sufficiently to apply the brakes 2 2 to the wheels and an additional amount to overcome the resistance of the springs 24: sufficiently to apply the brake-shoes let to the rails. It being known how much pressure is required to apply one set of brake-shoes and how much additional pressure is required to apply both sets, the operator can readily apply one-or both sets at will.

WVhen my improvements are to be applied to a truck having six wheels, the modified form shown in Fig. 3 will preferably be employed. In thisform of the invention a single vertical rod 6 will be employed at each side of the truck, and these rods will be located at the centerof the truck. To the lower end of each rod 6 are two curved pivoted ar1ns30, and between these arms a block of rubber 31 is located, a bolt 32 passing loosely through the arms 30 and rubber block 31. To each arm 30 is pivoted a horizontal lever 33, the opposite ends of said levers 33 being pivoted to the brake-shoes 2 of the respective wheels A. If desired, this construction of the connection between the vertical and horizontal levers may be adopted for the connection between the vertical rods 6 and horizontal levers 7 Sinstead of the simple construction of connection shown in Fig. 1.

Slight changes might be made in the constructive details of-1ny invention without departing from the spirit thereof; hence I do .not wish to limit myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-= 1. In a car-brake, the co1n'binatiou,-with the truck and wheels, of brake-shoes suspended in' proximity to said wheels, pivoted levers attached to said brake-shoes, brakeshoes secured to the pivoted levers and adapted to engage the track-rails, and means for operating both sets of brake-shoes simultaneously, substantially as set forth.

2. In a car-brake, the combination, with the car axles and wheels and truck, of brake shoes suspended from the truck-frame, piv oted levers attached to said brake shoes, brake-shoes attached to said pivoted levers, means for applying said brake shoes, and springs for returning the brake-shoes to their normal positions, substantially as set forth.

3. In a car-brake, the combination, with the axles and wheels and truck, of brake-shoes suspended from the truck-frame, vertically reciprocating rods, horizontal levers pivoted to the vertical rods and to the suspended brake-shoes, brake-shoes secured to the horizontal levers, and means for reciprocating the vertical rods to apply the brakes, substantially as set forth.

4. .In a car-brake, the combination, with the axles, wheels, and trucks, of brake-shoes sus pended from the truck-frame, vertically-reciprocating rods, horizontal levers pivoted at their inner ends to the vertical rods and at their outer ends respectively to the brakeshoes and to the frame, brake-shoes secured to the horizontal levers, elastic material between the inner ends of the horizontal levers, and means for reciprocating the vertical rods to apply the brakes,substantial1y as set forth.

5. In a car brake, the combination, with the axles, wheels, and truck, of brake-shoes suspendedfromthetruckframe,bell-eranklevers pivotally supported on the frame, verticallyreciprocating rods pivoted to the bell-crank levers, horizontal levers pivoted at their inner ends to the vertical rods and at their outer ends respectively to the brake-shoes and to the frame, brake-shoes secured to the hori zontal levers, elastic material between the inner ends of the horizontal levers, and means IIO for operating the bell-crank levers to apply the brakes, substantially as set forth.

6. In a car-brake, the combination, with the axles, Wheels, and truok-frame, of brake-shoes suspendedfrom the truck-frame, shafts mounted on the frame, bell-crank levers carried atthe ends of said shafts, vertical rods pivoted to the bell-crank levers, horizontal levers pivoted at their inner ends to the vertical rods and at their outer ends respectively to the suspended brake-shoes and to the frame, brake-shoes on the horizontal levers, elastic material between the inner ends of said levers, and means for operating the bell crank levers simultaneously, substantially as set forth.

7. In a car-brake, the combination, with the car axles and Wheels and trnck-frame, of brake-shoes suspended from the trnck-frame, pivoted levers attached to said brake-shoes, brake-shoes attached to said pivoted levers, means for applying the brake shoes, and double springs so arranged that when the brake is operated to apply one set of brakeshoes one part of the spring will be compressed and When'the device is further operated the other part of the spring will be compressed and the other set of brake-shoes applied, substantially as set forth.

-8. In a car-brake, the combination, with the axles, Wheels, and truck-frame, of brake-shoes suspended from the truck-frame, verticallyreciprocating rods having short arms at their lower ends, elastic material between said short arms, horizontal levers pivoted to said short arms and to the suspended brake shoes, brakeshoes secured to the horizontal levers, and means for reciprocating the vertical rods to apply the brakes, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed. this specification. in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MEINOLPH BODEFELD. \Vitn esses:

GEORGE H. STILLE, ADOLPH H. STILLE. 

